The appeal of fresh fruits and vegetables to consumers is universal and forms the basis for a huge fresh produce market. Since most fruits and vegetables are highly perishable, the production and marketing of fresh produce results in substantial losses due to spoilage or deterioration in quality. Very considerable efforts have been directed to reducing these losses so that consumers may enjoy the highest quality produce at the lowest possible price. These efforts have given rise to a number of techniques which involve treatment not only of the harvested produce but also of the growing plants.
The treatment of harvested produce includes storage and/or shipment of the produce under controlled conditions of temperature, pressure, humidity and air circulation. Particular gaseous atmospheres have also been employed to suppress growth of harmful fungi on fresh produce or to control the ripening process of certain fruits subsequent to harvest. Another technique that has been widely used to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables is the application of waxy protective films which tend to reduce moisture loss, respiration and spoilage. Such films may include low levels of fungicides or other active agents to enhance the protection afforded thereby.
In certain instances the shelf life of harvested fruits and vegetables may be influenced by plant growth regulators applied to the growing plants prior to the harvesting step. Thus, treating agents which alter the ripening process or control fruit drop when applied to growing plants may have an effect on the shelf life of the harvested fruit insofar as they affect the condition of the fruit at the time of harvest. As a general rule, however, plant growth regulators are employed for improving yields and quality, reducing production costs or providing other benefits related specifically to the commercial cultivation of fruit and vegetable crops. For example, the gibberellins constitute an important group of plant growth regulators which are used to increase the size of young fruits in the commercial production of grapes. Gibberellins have also been found to cause stem elongation of sugar cane thereby leading to increased yields of sugar from the cane produced.
The commercial cultivation of pineapples includes the production of a significant amount of fruit that is destined for sale in the fresh fruit market. Pineapples are somewhat unique in that the usual form in which they are sold in the fresh fruit market is characterized by a group of small leaves at the top of the pineapple that is normally called the crown. The yellowish-brown shell or skin of the pineapple is conventionally provided with a wax coating to retard deterioration of the fruit. The crown of the harvested and wax-coated pineapple, however, is susceptible to withering and senescence leading to an overall appearance that is unappealing to the consumer. Although a deteriorated crown may reflect a corresponding deteriorated condition of the fruit, such is not necessarily the case. Nevertheless, a pineapple whose crown has undergone significant deterioration will encounter consumer resistance because the fruit is perceived as having suffered a loss in quality and freshness.